


Tales of Asura Marsden

by Charming_Quill



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-08 00:51:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7736677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charming_Quill/pseuds/Charming_Quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is just a fun alternate universe where Asura starts off as an infiltrator for an Alliance scout team/Asari Commados before retiring to become a college history teacher. These are just a series of drabbles telling her story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nickname

Asura strolled through the mess hall balancing a tray in her hands. A large plate of spaghetti slid across the plastic surface, threatening to fall off the edge and crash to the ground. Her water sloshed with each uneasy step. She maneuvered carefully through the maze of tables, chairs, and passing soldiers.

Glancing around, she smiled. At the far end of the hall was a crowded round table where her group sat. They called themselves the Ghost Brigade--a name fondly bestowed upon them by their commander for their ability to strike without being detected. Including Asura, there were six of them: Chief Darza, Chief Brenna, Private Yuno, Private Trevor, and Private Enrique.

Enrique turned his head around. His turquoise eyes sparked when he caught sight of Asura. “Hey, Ra!” he cried out, waving his arm.

Hearing the nickname elicited a chuckle from Asura. “Hello.” She plopped into her seat. Napkin in hand, she spread it over her lap as she nodded. “How are y’all doin’?”

“Pretty good,” Darza spoke with a faint French accent. Her black hair was balled up into a thick bun atop her head. An empty plate lay before her. She scooted it to the side and rested her elbows on the table. “We’ve just been prepping for our next mission and killing time.”

Twisting the noodles around her fork, Asura scooped up a meatball dripping with sauce. “If you got time to kill, I could sure use some help on paper work.”

Mentioning the dreaded p-word sent shivers down everyone’s spine. Enrique shook his head. “Don’t worry, Ra. We’ll find something to do. Trust me. I’m not going near any paperwork.”

Her lips curled into a smile before she took a bite of her food. It was lukewarm and soggy, but she did not mind. The flavor was still there, and it was better than some of the alien food she had tasted. Melting in her mouth, the meatball rolled along her tongue. She chewed it up and quickly swallowed.

“Oh, speaking of paperwork.” Bending over, Darza pulled a sheet from a bag nestled in the corner. “I got my adoption papers in the mail this morning. Rita and I talked it over and we’re finally going through with it…”

“You know,” Yuno interrupted. “I’ve always wondered why people called you Ra.”

Darza shot him a glare. Interruptions were one of her many pet peeves. When she talked, she expected everyone to listen and give her the same curtesy she offered to them. Yuno, however, was the complete opposite. Whatever topic was at hand, he would brush it away in an instant if something popped into his head—no matter who was talking.

Shaking her head, Asura said, “It’s not nice to interrupt, Yuno.” Turning back to Darza, she added, “You were saying.”

“Well I was going to show you guys baby pictures of our choices, but now I’m kinda curious.”

“Oh man!” Enrique slapped his knee while he laughed. “It’s the funniest story ever! You got to tell it, Ra!”

She sighed. “Fine.”

The table went silent. They leaned forward, straining their necks so they could hear her better. All eyes were locked on her, waiting for her to begin. After clearing her throat, she wiped her lips and took a deep breath.

“When I was about seven my teacher decided to take us to a replica of an Earth museum. She said the history was rich and fascinatin’ and that we might actually learn somethin’ decent for once instead of learnin’ about war and space. My whole class went, and we toured the exhibit. It was so much fun! Like steppin’ back into a time capsule. We saw Greek statues, Egyptian gods and pharaohs, the first ever airplane: it was incredible.

“So, at the end of the tour, we went to the gift shop. Most of it was just buyin’ little trinkets, but there was a life-size fake statue of the Egyptian god Ra standin’ in the doorway. While the other kids shopped, I gawked at the statue for several minutes. Then, I reached out my hand to touch the statue when another kid bumped into me. I fell forward.”

Yuno’s eyes widened. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, but I did.” Asura could feel her cheeks begin to flush. No matter how many times she recanted the story, the embarrassment never failed to resurface. She quickly brushed it aside with a cough. “I pushed the statue over and it crashed.”

“Your teacher must have been furious,” Trevor chimed in. He cringed as if he was reliving the memory for himself.

“Yeah. She had to file a report for the school to pay for it and we had to have a private parent conference afterwards.” Asura shuddered. “It was awful.”

Brenna smirked as she leaned back in her chair. “So that’s why you’re cursed,” she teased.

“Cursed?”

Ignoring Yuno’s outburst, Asura folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not cursed…”

“Bullshit!”

“Wait! What curse?” Yuno cried in desperation. His head kept swiveling from Brenna to Asura and back in confusion. He squeezed his hands together—a sure sign he was unnerved.

A sly smile spread across Enrique’s face. He scooted closer to Yuno. The tips of his fingers hovered just about Yuno’s shoulder and he breathed down his neck. In a low, raspy voice, he whispered, “Legend speaks of the curse of hardship! Anyone who works with or under Lieutenant Marsden is doomed to suffer long, grueling hours of torturous missions where you barely get out alive. You think it will be simple, but complications and unseen consequences keep piling up until you wonder if it’s even worth it.”

He paused, lowering his hands so they barely scraped Yuno’s skin. Yuno jumped. He clutched the back of his neck and swatted Enrique’s hand away. Enrique did not miss a beat and kept talking. “This curse plaguing our lieutenant was because she incited the wrath of Ra. Once she knocked over the statue, he vowed he would make her life miserable and…”

“Enough, Private,” Asura finally interjected. She could feel a headache beginning to form. Rubbing her temple, she clenched her jaw. A fierce migraine was coming—she could feel it squeezing her head and digging into her neck.

Taking the hint, Enrique shut his mouth and backed off. He pushed his seat back, stood up and stretched his limbs. “Whelp…I’m going to get a nap in before mission briefing.”

Darza lifted herself from her chair as well. She gazed at her watch. “I should probably call Rita soon. It’s getting late on Earth.” Smiling, she patted Asura’s back. “She you soon, Ra.”

One by one they all made up excuses, scooped up their trays, and left. Soon, Asura was by herself munching on her noodles. She closed her eyes, hoping the silence and darkness would sooth her headache. It slightly helped, but not much. Then, she tried massaging her scalp. It still persisted, determined to thwart her efforts.

“This’ll be a bad one,” she muttered. All bad missions started with a migraine.


	2. First Lead Mission

Asura’s heart pounded in her chest. With her sniper rifle poised, she crept through the underbrush, slowly inching along closer to the building. It was a blocky structure made of shiny silver metal and a few sparse windows. There was one entrance door; a reinforced steel model that was nearly impenetrable and an access panel with the latest hacker proof tech. A cluster of humans and batarians and salarians stood a few feet away. They broke off into teams, patrolling the grounds and the roof top.

That’s not good, Asura thought as she backed away. It seemed like there was no way inside or out.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw it was Darza who grabbed her attention. Lifting her hands, she signaled her message. What’s the plan?

I don’t know, Asura admitted. Looks like the outside’s heavily reinforced. We’ll need disguises or another way in. That or we just go in guns blazing.

Too risky.

Yeah, she agreed, glancing back at the compound. A part of her wondered if it was worth the risk but she quickly dismissed the thought. This band of terrorist was planning to attack the Citadel and cripple the council. Everything would fall into chaos if they succeeded, leaving the galaxy vulnerable for a takeover. Of course it was well worth their lives.

Asura thought back to when she received her mission. Kahlee Sanders had intercepted one of the group’s messages and relayed the information to Asura. She provided everything: blueprints to the base, an estimate of people to contend with, possible entry points, and she even offered her support to Asura with a reassuring hug.

It was not the mission, however, that made Asura especially nervous. This was the first mission since her promotion to Lieutenant. She was in charge. The life of her five squad mates was in her hands. Heck, the fate of the galaxy was resting on her shoulders. And knowing her luck, something was bound to go wrong. Which was fine when she was not the one taking the fall, but now complications were a hassle and they were her issue to deal with now and what if she could not handle the responsibility and…

She shook her head. Now was not the time to be questioning her abilities. Instead, she went to work formulating a plan. If the entering from the roof top and through the door were not an option, then underground it was. Gesturing to Private Enrique, she called him forward. He watched as she signed her message. What’s the underground layout look like? Can we get inside through a grate access?

He thought for a moment. There’s one…about twenty feet in that direction. His finger pointed to the west, away from the building. Then we can double back through the tunnels. It’s a straight shot.

Let’s do it. Asura nodded, giving the signal to follow. She allowed Enrique to lead with her close behind and the rest in tow. They traveled quickly and silently. The soft ground muffled their footsteps.

It was not long before they spotted the grate. It was old and rusted. Asura found that comforting as she helped lift it up. Rust meant no one was maintaining the grate which meant it was forgotten about. The perfect infiltration point.

Everyone dropped down one at a time. Their boots were soon soaked in a mysterious, foul smelling liquid. Carefully, they walked forward, wading deeper into the murky brown water. Enrique finally came to a stop, and glanced upward. That’s it, he signed. I need a boost.

Private Trevor stepped forward, holstering his pistol on his hip. He was the tallest of the group—a good six foot two inches of pure muscle. Hoisting Enrique atop his broad shoulders, he widened his stance to brace the load. Enrique grunted as he pushed the grate open. He disappeared through the top and into the light.

Asura’s heart beat faster while they waited. She prayed Enrique would not be spotted. Her eyes were glued to the opening. Finally, he poked his head back through. All clear, he mouthed. Bracing himself against the floor, he reached down, offering them a way up.

Darza went first. She stepped toward Trevor who grabbed her waist and lifted her up. Linking hands with Enrique, she managed to pull herself up. The rest followed suit until Asura was the only one left. Trevor held her above his head. She latched onto Enrique while Trevor latched onto her legs. Using every ounce of strength they could muster, the group heaved. It took a few minutes of strained labor, but they got through.

Asura scrutinized their surroundings. They ended up in a locker room of some sort. Uniforms and armor were scattered about along the benches. Grey lockers lined the walls. Some of the doors were dangling on one hinge. Luckily, nobody was around.

“All right,” she whispered, gathering her team together. They huddled in close. “We’ve got two objectives. Primary is takin’ out the leader, Yassani Eldesiar. Secondary is gatherin’ intel from their database. Brenda, you’re in charge of team two. Take Yuno to the database and have him hack the system. Keep your comm link open in case there’s trouble.”

Brenda nodded, causing her short blonde hair to fall from behind her ears. “Will do, ma’am.”

“The rest are with me. We don these disguises and act like we’re escorts. Enrique will guide us to the central room where we’ll mount our attack. Clear?”

They all agreed. Brenda and Yuno decided their best bet was to go up into the air ducts. Asura’s team started rummaging through the lockers and slipping the baggy maintenance clothes over their armor. It made Asura feel hot and itchy. She folded her sniper rifle and jammed it into the pants pocket.

The team rounded up, and gathered any spare tools they could find. Once their disguises were complete, they fell in line behind Enrique. He had studied the blueprints closely before their arrival. Strolling through the hallways with ease, it was like he had walked through the building a hundred times. Asura took note of each turn. They went right, then left, then right again and down a long hallway, and right once more with two lefts and another right. It made her head spin.

Finally, they reached the final turn. In front of the group was a long staircase shrouded in shadow. Descending the steps, Asura heard a faint clicking noise in her earpiece. It beeped three times. She interpreted it as a silent message: Brenda’s team was at the database and ready to strike. Tapping her earbud four times, she told them to start extracting data.

A large door towered above them when they reached the bottom steps. It was sealed tight. On the right wall was a number pad. Asura activated her omnitool and pressed it against the flashing screen. The door swung open.

“It’s about time you showed up!” a haughty batarian scoffed. He stood in front of a table with a giant blueprint spread across it. Asura snuck a quick glance and noticed it was the Citadel. Points of access and structural weaknesses were circled in red marker. Yassani grumbled as he gestured to computer. “The damn network is down. I want it fixed now!”

In typical batarian fashion, he did not look upon his lowly maintenance crew when he issued his orders. His four eyes were glued to the battle plans. This caused Asura to smile. Big mistake, she thought. She glanced at her squad, motioning for them to follow her lead. They all stepped into the room with Trevor closing the door behind them. As casually as possible, they maneuvered around the room, giving no indication they were about to strike.

The only question now was how to take him out. Any wrong move and they could alert him to the danger. Any loud noise and they could alert the whole compound. Luckily, Asura had brought a silencer just for the occasion. One blast to the head would ensure a quick death.

When she reached the computer, she quietly strapped it to her spare pistol after setting down her tools. Her team members scattered throughout the room. They kept up the façade, occasionally looking to her for instructions. She told them by signing commands that she was ready to strike, but needed Yassani knocked out.

Chief Darza happily obliged. She was next to the batarian in a flash. All he could do was blink. Swiftly, she raised and brought down her pistol over his head. He gasped, staggering on his feet and fumbling around the office. Another quick blow rendered him unconscious.

Asura took aim and fired. The bullet hardly made a sound as it tore through his skull. Blood poured from his wound soaking into the carpet.

“Good job team,” she congratulated while holstering her pistol. “That’s one objective down. Brenda! How are y’all doin’ on your end?”

In a whisper, Brenda replied, “Yuno’s got the data and has wiped the files. We’re heading back to the rendezvous point. Meet you there.”

“Will do. Okay team. We’re done here. Let’s move out.”

Asura felt relaxed as they strolled out of the room. Accomplishing their mission made her heart swell with pride. Never in her four years of service was a mission so perfectly executed. It felt nice.

Before she knew it, they were at the rendezvous point, slipping out of their disguises. Everyone was undressed and back in the sewer in about five minutes. Private Enrique slid the grate back into place and hopped off of Trevor’s shoulders. He slapped Asura on the back and winked. “Home free.”

“Not quite. We’ll need you to show us the way out of here.”

“My pleasure.” He bowed before strolling up front.

Though the escape was relatively easy so far, Asura kept her gun ready and her eyes vigilant. It was not until they were back in the forest that she began to relax. She keyed in her comm link to the SSV Dallas, signaling for them to meet at the drop off point. “All right, guys.” She smiled. “We’re headin’ out.”


	3. Death of a Teammate

Sitting in the hospital room, Asura clenched her fists. She sat in a chair facing the bed. A young man by the name of Olli lay there in a state of unconsciousness. Tubing wound around his entire body, feeding him lifesaving oxygen and blood. Medicine dripped down an IV line. Monitors kept beeping. They tracked the faint tremors of his heartbeat. Globs of medigel had been spread across his chest.

Reaching out her hand, she lightly touched his arm. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, thinking back to how this had happened.

She had been tasked with training new Alliance recruits. They were five young guys fresh out of the Academy and eager to make their mark. Asura carefully chose their first mission—a quick once over of a human colony on the edge of the Terminas System to drop supplies. Nothing too hectic. At least it was supposed to be.

They all piled into the four-wheel Mako packed with boxes of food, clothes, and various other items. Olli begged and pleaded to sit up front. “I want to be where all the action is,” he said.

He was, by far, the most talkative recruit. His blue eyes were always wide and bright like the ocean on a clear summer day. Sporting a buzz cut, it was hard to tell his hair color, though it looked like a dark shade of brown. He was short, but he made up for it in muscle mass. As soon as he slid into the seat, he wanted to play with every single control button.

Asura chided him before moving out. They drove over a few miles of sand toward the desert city. That was when it happened—a loud crashing sound of metal twisting and crunching and breaking apart. The vehicle launched into the air, doing a few flips and slamming into the ground.

It took a few seconds for Asura to register the impact. Her head felt dizzy as she freed herself from the seatbelt. When she stood, her head scraped the ceiling. She hunched over and glanced behind her. “Is everyone okay?” she cried.

“We’re fine,” Olli replied with a groan. He rubbed his temple. “What happened?”

She ignored his question. “Johnson! We’re hit!” Asura shouted into her comm, hoping someone would be there to answer. There was a long pause that filled her with dread.

“Copy that, Ra! Reinforcements headed in. Hold down the fort ‘til they get there.”

A sense of relief washed over her, but it was short lived. One of the recruits started freaking out about someone approaching. It was probably whoever shot at them with a tank round. Asura worked quickly. She rounded them all up, barking at them to grab their weapons and prepare for a firefight.

When they stepped out, she immediately spotted the danger. A band of krogans--each sporting blood red armor and shotguns-- were walking toward them. The blood pack, Asura had figured. She fired off a well-timed Reave that sent one collapsing onto the ground. Then, she whipped out her assault rifle and began peppering the battlefield. The cover fire allowed for the recruits to maneuver behind a few sand dunes. They provided little protection against the onslaught of bullets.

Lying flat on their bellies, they were now the ones providing cover fire. Asura sprinted to their location and dropped down next to Olli. Everyone continued firing in short bursts, being sure to rotate while others reloaded. The krogan, however, were resilient. Even after taking extensive damage to their shields, they kept charging forward.

Suddenly, another Mako came into view, flying over one of the dunes. It blew past the krogan and came to a screeching halt behind them. Asura was relieved to see Chief Darza when the doors swung open. Barking at her troops, she commanded them to get into the vehicle while she covered them.

Olli refused to leave her side. He popped up, blasted a few rounds, and then crouched back down. Asura could not argue. There was no time.

Finally, everyone else made it. Asura and Olli stood up, turning around to sprint to the Mako. Bullets whizzed past their heads and bounced against their shields. Asura was almost to the vehicle when she heard a blast and then a scream. Glancing back, she was horrified to see Olli clutching his stomach and blood spurting down his legs.

A mix of anger and despair fueled her exhausted legs as she whirled back around. One of the krogans had caught up with Olli and was fixing to finish the job. In a fit of rage, she used her biotics to push him back. Grabbing his arm, Asura scooped Olli up and dashed into the Mako, shouting at them to step on it.

And now, they were here at the infirmary. A shotgun blast at close range had ripped through his torso. When they wheeled him in, there was so much blood it soaked the blankets, mattress, and dripped onto the floor. I made Asura sick to her stomach.

Awakening from her trance, Asura stifled her tears. Please, Olli…make it through this, she prayed. You can’t die on me soldier.

The door opened and the doctor stepped inside. One glance at her face told Asura everything was hopeless. She recognized that unmistakable frown. Pushing herself out of her seat, she sighed. “He’s not goin’ to make it, is he?”

“No, I’m afraid not.” The doctor squeezed her shoulder. “There’s been too much internal damage. He’s bleeding into his stomach and liver.”

“Can’t you repair the tear or suction out the blood or…” Her voice trailed off. She knew it was hopeless and that she was grasping at straws.

“We’ve done all we can.”

Those words brought Asura to tears. They clouded her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. She bowed her head in shame. The doctor drew her in close, wrapping her in his arms. “I know this is hard for you, ma’am. Losing a family member is always difficult.”

“He’s not my family. He was…a soldier…from my unit. This was his first mission.”

“Still family,” he whispered. “It hurts just as much.”

Pulling away, Asura returned to Olli’s bedside. “Can I have a minute before you unhook everythin’?”

“Of course.”

Bending over, she placed a hand atop his head. “Olli,” she choked out his name. The tears were flowing freely now. She wiped them from her eyes, sniffled, and cleared her throat. “Your time in the Alliance was short-lived, but I could tell you would’ve made one hell of a soldier. It…it makes me sad that I failed you. I should’ve gotten y’all out sooner. Heck, I should’ve anticipated somethin’ like this. So…I’m sorry you had to die for my mistake.

She noticed the doctor approaching from the corner of her eye. She kissed his forehead. “Enjoy heaven. I hear its one hell of a party.” Standing up, she backed away, allowing the doctor to step in front of her. She tried watching as he unplugged the cables, but found she had to turn her head away. Closing her eyes, she heard the thumping of his heart stop. A high pitched whine rang in her ears. She felt a shiver down her spine. It was like she could feel his spirit leaving his body.

Bowing her head, she dabbed her eyes with a tissue. “I…I have to go…inform the family.” She ducked out of the room, weaving in and out of the crowd until she reached the elevator. That took her down to the soldier quarters where she spent the next hour curled up in her bed. People kept coming to see her. They told her it could happen to anyone; that losing someone was common. It did little to comfort her.

She finally drifted into a fitful sleep. Her hands clung to the blanket while inside her mind she relived the tragedy over and over again. No matter what action she took the outcome was the same: death. Drowning in her sorrow, she awoke with a start.

The lights were dim. A chorus of snores echoed throughout the narrow quarters. Asura lay back against her pillow and sighed. There was nothing else to do but stare at the ceiling until morning, contemplating her failure.


	4. First Mission

“Professor Marsden?”

Asura turned on her heels to face the rows of students. The lecture hall was enormous, stretching back so far that she could barely see the exit doors. About three hundred students were crammed into tiny plastic seats. A young woman, short in stature and sporting a mischievous grin, had her arm extended into the air.

“Yes, Mira?”

Lowering her hand, Mira leaned forward in her seat. She took a deep breath before asking, “You’re a retired Alliance soldier, right?”

Nodding, she replied, “Yes.”

“Can you tell us about it?”

Asura could clearly see it was a ploy to stop her from rambling about ancient Egyptian gods. The entire class perked up. People who were far off daydreaming now had a look of excitement on their faces. They were poised at the edge of their seats. She could see the silent pleas in their eyes, begging for a story filled with excitement.

Shaking her head, Asura knew she should not indulge them, but truthfully, even she wanted a break from lecture. “Well, we do still have a lot of material to cover…” She playfully pretended to mull it over.

“Please!” The young girl frowned. Her lower lip stuck out and tears lined her eyes.

Suppressing a giggle, the professor shook her head. “Oh, all right. If y’all insist.” The whole room went silent. Gathering her thoughts, Asura wondered which story she could tell that was not classified. There was the time she and Shiala and Kahlee got so drunk they took out an entire Batarian warship without remembering anything. Or the time she was trapped in an elevator during a mission for five hours with someone who was claustrophobic and another guy who kept hitting on her. Or maybe even the time she took out a gang of teens high on red sand.

Then, the perfect idea popped into her head. She knew exactly what to do. “I’ll tell y’all about my first Alliance mission ever.

“Ehem. So, we had about seven people in my unit when I started. Three of us were rookies and the rest were tough guys who thought they had seen it all. We were paired off into smaller teams. I had the misfortune of bein’ stuck with our leader Major Alden.

“Now he was a big guy—‘bout a foot taller than me—with a jagged scar on his cheek and a scowl on his face. He hated workin’ with newbies. Thought they slowed him down too much. Whenever we were alone, he’d tell me I’d never make it because I was too sweet. So…let’s just say I didn’t like him too much after that.

“Anyways, we ended up in the Kyzil System in the Shrike Abyssal and found a mysterious planet. My team was sent to scout it out and report back. Simple, right? Oh, it turned out to be anythin’ but simple. When we touched down, the whole place was muggy. I was sweatin’ so much my uniform was drenched in fifteen minutes. Bugs were swarmin’ and there was nothing but grass as far as the eye can see. It was miserable.

“We immediately split into our groups. Bein’ with the Major meant I was goin’ to cover a lot of ground. We ran out front and he was relentless, makin’ sure our pace was fast. Guess he thought a little hard work would scare me away. But that’s beside the point. We ran for miles in the heat and found nothing until we got to a little hill.

“Now, this hill was nothin’ special first glance. Just a mound of dirt with patches of grass and a little hole. We stopped there because there was a stream and I was thirsty. Alden made fun of me, of course, but when you’ve been sprinting for an hour in the heat you don’t really care. When I knelt down and scooped up some water, I saw somethin’ that scared the hell out of me.

“Some white and red creature leapt over the mound. And he was ugly! We’re talkin’ gnarly sharp teeth, beady red eyes, crisscrossing veins, and a wrinkled nose…”

“You mean vorcha?” Mira asked. Her question caught Asura off-guard. She was so absorbed in the story it took her a minute to process the answer.

“Yes, Mira. It was the vorcha.”

“Wow.” Her jaw dropped. “You were part of the first contact with vorcha. That’s so cool!”

“Ah, well…it sounds cool, but it really wasn’t. See, the vorcha wasn’t alone. More vorcha sprung up from the ground, and they had us completely surrounded. They had weapons—not any I recognized—pointed at our heads. Alden didn’t even wait for them to speak. He open fried with his assault rifle, mowin’ them down in droves. With my sniper, it was a bit harder, but I was able to pick off some in the distance. Then I got my hands on one of their machine guns. I was able to fend them off for a bit, but there were too many. We ran out of thermal clips before they ran out of vorcha. We had to surrender.

“They debated what to do with us. Most of the vorcha thought they should kill us so they could eat us. Some wanted to torture us to find out where we came from. There was one, though, bigger than the rest of them. He decided we should be captured in case there were more of us. They started leadin’ us away back to wherever they came from.

“Now, back then I wasn’t well versed in biotics since they were so rare nobody knew anythin’ ‘bout them. All I knew was they were people who could warp energy or somethin’ to that extent. The alliance had no biotic training or integration program ‘til much later. I also knew that I had some of these abilities.”

“You’re a biotic?”

Once again, Mira’s interruption came out of nowhere. Excitement was teaming in her voice. Her question sent ripples of chatter throughout the other students. They were all speculating what abilities she had.

Asura chuckled. “Yes, I am. When I was a kid, I had a few tiny biotic bursts, but my father never reported it, so I never got an implant until I was much older. The point I’m tryin’ to make is that I didn’t expect what happened next. See, Alden read in my file that my biotic abilities tended to flare when I felt threatened or got angry. So he got me angry. Kept yellin’ at me and commentin’ how I was worthless and how this whole deal was my fault and I should be discharged for this mistake and I wasn’t cut out to be in the Alliance. And, he was doin’ this while they were marchin’ us back.

“That got me worked up, but it wasn’t enough. I knew he was sayin’ stuff to provoke me. Then, he started pickin’ a fight with the vorcha. Callin’ them stupid and ugly scavengers. It kept escalatin’ and it got to the point they were ready to skin him. The “smart” one kept sayin’ they wanted us alive. Alden badgered him and even tried to make a mad dash for freedom. Got to the point where they had him on his knees and was ‘bout to blow his head off. We need one prisoner, was what they said.

“They put the gun to his head where his kinetic barrier wouldn’t protect him. I tried to stop them, but a bunch of them grabbed me. I struggled against them, gettin’ frustrated I couldn’t do anythin’ while just watchin’ them kill my squad leader. That’s when it happened: my biotics burst.

“Like I said, I had no formal trainin’, so it wasn’t anythin’ fancy. The first burst was small. It sent everyone clingin’ to me flyin’ backwards. I ran straight towards Alden at full speed. All the vorcha were stunned—especially the vorcha ‘bout to kill my teammate. I slammed into him, knockin’ him back a good couple of feet. He lost his footin’ and fell on the ground. I grabbed Alden’s waist, lifted him up to his feet, and then, I did a second biotic burst.

“This time, though, it was bigger. Much bigger. So big that it blew back every single vorcha in a mile radius. Some even dropped dead.

“While they were on the ground, we stole back our guns and hightailed it back to the ship. Luckily, the rest of our team hadn’t encountered anythin’. They were waitin’ for us at the rendezvous point. We crawled onto the ship, completely battered and exhausted, tellin’ them to take off now and get out of there asap. When we did escape, top brass kept askin’ questions and the Council was interested in our findings, but we both went straight to showers, mess hall, and then bed.

“Of course, the rest of the week was a nightmare. They shipped us all over the galaxy, speakin’ to god knows how many commanders and politicians and scientist. We had to describe what we saw a hundred times. Finally, they sent an official group to make first contact with the vorcha. They even asked me if I wanted to be a part of it, to which I said no...and some other strong words.”

“What about Alden?”

“After that mission, Alden never questioned me again. We grew close, actually. Close enough to have a one night stand at least. But that’s another story altogether. What really mattered was that we bonded and he respected me as a soldier. And…well you know, bein’ alive and appreciatin’ life and all that.”

Asura paused for a moment as her story came to a close. She stared out at the gawking faces and straightened out her back. Mira was especially awestruck. She had scribbled down the entire story—probably the best notes she had taken all year. A proud smile briefly formed on her lips before she turned back toward the board. “But that’s enough about me. Let’s get back to talkin’ about the Sun God Ra.”


	5. Calling Mother

Static filled the vid screen. Asura stared down at it, dreading what she was about to do. You have to do this, she kept telling herself. Sucking in a deep breath, she accessed the address book and scrolled down.

The tiny orange screen sprang to life. A small circle in the corner indicating it was loading. Asura leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Mentally, she prepped herself. It had been a while, about two years, since she had contact with the SSV Mustang. This call would likely not end well.

A person materialized on the other end. She was tall and slender and wore a blue Alliance uniform with shiny brass buttons. Her black hair was tied into a tight knot at the nape of her neck. Wrinkles were forming around her amber eyes and the corner of her thin lips. She flashed a smile. “Hi, Asura! Glad you got my message.”

Asura was taken aback by the woman’s pleasant attitude. Did she not remember what happened last time? Or perhaps, she was merely trying to put the past behind them? Taking a deep breath, Asura replied, “Hello, mother.” There was the faintest hint of aggravation laced in her voice. She tried her best to stifle it. “How’s it goin’?”

“Good, good.”

“That’s good.”

“And how are you? Is Horizon treating you well? How’s teaching been going?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old. Lots of papers, research, and lectures. And, I finally moved into my new house.” She gestured behind her, smiling proudly. It was only about 1500 square feet, but it was located amidst the trees, secluded from the others on the block. The inside was decorated with her medals, plush furniture, wood floors, a few house plants, replica statues of different historical figures, and memorabilia from her time as a commando. There were four bedrooms and three bathrooms with an open living room and kitchen. Nothing too fancy, but it was her sanctuary.

“Ah! I see. It looks good. Glad to hear it’s going well.”

An awkward silence filled the air. Asura began to rub the back of her neck. “So…your message said you needed to talk to me about somethin’. What is it?”

Her mother hesitated. “Well…I…” she stumbled over her words, squeezing her hands together.

What is she hiding, Asura wondered.

“I’ve been talking with Hackett. They’ve got an open position for retired Alliance soldiers to train and integrate biotic recruits. They’d reinstate you and they’d arrange for you to live on the Citadel. You wouldn’t have to do any sort of combat…”

Asura rolled her eyes. “Here we go,” she grumbled.

“You don’t have to be nasty about it. I’m just saying…”

“Mom! I’m not movin’ to the Citadel and I’m not goin’ back into the Alliance!”

“Honey, please. I know you miss the Alliance and your friends and it’s what your father would’ve wanted…”

Those words cut Asura deep in her heart. She was standing now, and her hands were trembling at her side. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the screen. “Don’t you dare brin’ up dad and pretend you’d know what he’d want!” A tiny flicker of blue energy danced around her fingers. She did her best to stifle her biotics, but she could feel the power beginning to take hold. “Dad would’ve respected my decision to leave. He would’ve been happy for my success. He wouldn’t be beggin’ me to go back to a job and responsibility I don’t want any more so his damn legacy could continue!”

“Asura that’s not what I…”

“Intended?” She leaned forward, resting her hands on the desk to steady herself. The energy was growing inside her, threatening to burst any second. Through clenched teeth, she hissed, “There’s a reason we haven’t talked for two years, mom! It’s because you’re always pesterin’ me like this. Why don’t you just let me live my own life? I don’t want to move back and I don’t want you in my life if you’re goin’ to act like this. Don’t bother callin’ me again.”

“Wait! I…”

With a wave of her hand, Asura killed the comm link. Then, she stormed out onto her back patio, and unleashed a huge Reave on the first object she saw. Red and blue particles danced around a chair, slightly warping its legs inward. The exertion of power left her exhausted. She trudged into the house. Rage still consumed her thoughts.

What did her mother know of her father? She was hardly ever home—always working for months at a time only to spend a couple of days with them at a time. And, when he died, all her mother could say was take the promotion. Like throwing herself into the Alliance would somehow magically fix the hole in her heart.

Asura crumpled onto the couch. She closed her eyes and an image of her father came into view. He had a warm smile, bright green eyes, and a scar on his upper lip. His nose was crocked from the time he tripped and fell into a railing. He sported a thick mustache to match his thick eyebrows. When she was younger, he jokingly told her he once had three eyebrows, but one crawled down from his forehead because he liked protecting the lip more than the eyes.

Thinking about him stirred up the emotions that were dormant inside her. Curling into a ball, she lay there crying softly. Her tears soaked into the pillow. “I miss you, dad,” she blubbered. She buried her face in the blankets. “I miss you so much.”


	6. Eternity Eyes Fiasco

Asura stood at the front of the room with her eyes glazing over her students. She rambled on about historical Prothean political figures, trying to make the subject as interesting as possible. Judging by the blank stares she received, it was not working.

She did not blame them. Of the entire Prothean History 1 course, this was her least favorite topic. All she taught was a list of names, when they came into power, and what doctrines they pushed. Prothean wars and riots and religions and culture and avatars were far more appealing. If she had her way, she would ignore politics altogether. But, that went against the curriculum and…

A door creaked as it swung open, catching Asura’s attention. A young student named Hestia wandered into the room, clinging tightly to her backpack and sporting a pair of sunglasses. She slinked into the seat beside Liara toward the back. Locks of her red hair covered her face as she leaned forward and pressed her palms against her forehead.

Asura recognized that gesture. Someone partied a bit too much last night, she chuckled. A slight smile curled on her lips.

“All right, class! Can anyone tell me who Varok was?” She expected Liara’s hand to rise, but was surprised to see the asari completely ignored her. Enthralled in a conversation with Hestia, she her lips were puckered like she had eaten something sour. She appeared deep in concentration.

The rest of the class remained silent. Everyone twiddled their thumbs, and was suddenly interested in the pattern of the carpet. Clearing her throat, Asura bellowed, “Come on guys. Someone has to know who Varok was. What was his contribution to Prothean doctrine and when did he serve?” The silence lingered. It carried on for several awkward minutes.

Feeling frustrated, she knew now was the time to play her trump card. “Nobody’s leaving the room until I get an answer.”

Finally, Javik’s hand shot up in the air. He did not bother to wait for her to acknowledge him before blurting out the answer. “Varok was in charge of the Asair doctrine: a declaration that established the new royal line when the last line died out. He served during the Welock era from 2060-2100.”

“Correct.” Asura clapped her hands together after glancing at the clock. “And that, guys, is all the time we have for today. Please don’t forget your research papers. They’re due in one week. Feel free to come and see me if you have any questions.”

Students eagerly jumped out of their seats. Relief washed over their faces as they stuffed their belongings into their bags. The room buzzed with excitement. Everyone was absorbed in their conversations about what was in store for the weekend. Homework seemed to be the farthest from their minds.

Clearing her throat once more, Asura’s voice rose above the noise. “One more thing. I’d like to have a word with Hestia and Liara, please.”

The two of them were only inches from the door. Both cringed. Hestia tried to escape, but one brush of Liara’s hand seemed to change her mind. She twirled on her heels and marched down the stairs. They pushed through the crowd until they had reached the bottom steps.

“Yes, Dr. Marsden?” Liara asked once they stood in front of her. She refused to meet her Professor’s eyes, so Asura looked to Hestia. It was hard to tell what was hidden beneath those sunglasses. She guessed it had something to do with light sensitivity from a hangover or a nasty black eye from spectre training.

“What’s with the sunglasses?” she chuckled. “Had a little too much to drink last night?”

Hestia’s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. “I…um…” she stuttered.

“Aw, come on! I was just messin’ with you. No need to blush.”

A sigh escaped Hestia’s lips. She smiled when Asura slapped her on the back. “Yeah well…I guess I’m not used to drinking all that much, so it’s embarrassing for me. I don’t think Aethyta would be too happy about it, so I felt like I needed to hide it.”

“No shame in havin’ fun and lettin’ loose…” Asura throat caught when she took another look at Liara. The asari’s eyes were a black void. Furrowing her eyebrows, the professor took a deep breath, honing in her patience. “Hestia. Take off those glasses.”

There was a moment of hesitation as her body tensed. She seemed to contemplate whether she should give in or not. Finally, she caved, obeying the teachers command by sliding her glasses down her nose. Her eyes were the same color, linking the two of them together.

Asura’s anger erupted. “In my classroom!” she screamed. “You two are mind melding in my classroom!”

Opening her mouth to protest, Liara was cut off. “I can’t believe you two would do this in the middle of my class! It’s one thing’ to find you two talkin’ durin’ lecture, and it’s another to see you not answerin’ a question. But this? This just takes the cake!”

The more Asura talked the deeper the shade of red Hestia turned. She kept shrinking, trying to make herself as small as possible. Tears brimmed in Liara’s eyes. Flustered, she whimpered like a scolded child who disappointed their parent.

“I swear, it is not what it looks like,” she pleaded. Crossing her arms, Asura gave them no answer, waiting for them to explain.

Hestia was the first to speak. “Okay. See, we were alone together last weekend, and one thing lead to another and we did the do. And when we woke up this morning, we saw that our eyes never reverted back to normal. They’re kinda…stuck like this. So, we swear we’re not melding in your classroom. We have no idea what this is and it’s freaking us out.”

“It’s true,” Liara interjected, nodding her head. “We have searched the library and asked a few Asari Matriarchs and researched it, but nobody knows anything about this.”

By now, Asura’s anger had melted into a mix of shock and amusement. She just could not believe this was happening. It was so surreal and funny and sad that she did not know how to feel.

Both students awkwardly shuffled their feet. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Asura tried to relieve her headache and gather her thoughts. “Well,” she sniffed. “This is…somethin’.” She suppressed a chuckle with a quick cough. “I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions. Your eternity eyes are…unfortunate.”

“Eternity eyes? Is that what you call them? Have you seen this before? Oh please help us! If either of my mothers found out, this would be a disaster! Is there a way to reverse it?”

“Calm down, Liara.” Placing her hands on their shoulders, Asura sighed. “Yes, I have seen a case like this before.”

“You mean after all the effort we went through and we could’ve just asked you?” Hestia grumbled.

“Well, to be fair this is a rare condition. I’ve only ever heard of it once and…”

“A condition? By the goddess! There is something wrong with me. Maybe I was not ready for this. Maybe we moved too fast. Maybe I cannot have children. Maybe…” Liara kept speaking in hypotheticals. The look of worry intensified on her face with each new scenario.

“Enough!” Asura cut her off. “Do you two want to hear what I have to say or what?” She watched as Liara clamped her mouth shut. Satisfied, she continued, “Look, the reason I know a bit ‘bout this is ‘cause I have a friend from my asari commando days named Aeian. She had this happen to her when she had sex with her bondmate. Freakin’ out, she came to me for help. So, we scoured ancient asari scrolls for hours tryin’ to find somethin’ to tell us what this was.”

Hestia’s eyes were wide with awe. “Did you find something?”

“Of course we did!” Leaning in closer, Asura asked, “Y’all know ‘bout the Ardat-Yakshi, right?”

They nodded.

“Good ‘cause the condition y’all got is the exact opposite. They call it Lan’ka Tresma, or Keeper of Eternity. Basically, they have the opposite effect of Ardat-Yakshi. Instead of disharmony—or fryin’ the brain—the Lan’ka Tresma display total harmony--an ability to link together with their bondmate. When y’all got intimate, Liara’s mind meld was so powerful that she can’t turn it off. She can only dial it down.

“In ancient Asari times, this condition was hailed as a sign of powerful minds. It was said that their souls could walk the fields of eternity—a shadow plane--to meld their minds into one. They were regarded as reincarnations of Athane and worshipped. But, that’s all just a myth. It’s probably just a genetic defect.”

Her explanation left them speechless. Hestia’s lips curled into a smile. Wrapping Liara into a hug, she proclaimed, “See? There’s nothing wrong with you, goddess.” Her teasing prompted Liara to giggle and nudge her shoulder.

“So,” Asura interrupted the teasing, getting the group back on track. “That’s all I know about it. If you want to learn how to better control it, or more about the condition, then I can arrange a meeting with Aeian.”

“We would love too,” Liara eagerly replied.

“Okay, but I got to warn y’all. Aeian doesn’t have the eternity eyes anymore…”

Cocking her head, Liara asked, “Why not? Is there a way she got rid of it?”

Pausing, Asura considered her words carefully. She brushed back a strand of her black hair, smoothing it back into place. “Well…um…yes, in a way she did get rid of it. See, her bondmate died, and she hasn’t had the eternity eyes ever since their connection was severed. I mean, she’s gotten over it a little bit, but talkin’ about this might bring back some old memories.”

“We’ll be careful,” Hestia promised, grabbing hold of Liara’s hand and squeezing it. “We just want to know what we’re dealing with.”

“All right. I trust you.” Gesturing to the door, Asura added, “Sorry. I’ve kept y’all long enough. You’re probably ready to start the weekend.”

They thanked her and quickly left. Asura also gathered up her things and made her way to her office. It was a short walk across the hall and down one flight of stairs. Once inside, she plopped into her chair and opened up the extranet. She typed in her old contact and watched as the static buzzed across the screen.

Finally, a live vid of Aeian appeared. A bright smile spread across her face. “Hey, Ra! It’s been a long time! How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m doing fine.” Leaning closer, Asura rested her elbows on her desk. “Hey, Aeian, I need a favor.”

“Yes?”

“Can you schedule some time to meet these two students I have on Horizon? I think one of them has the Lan’ka condition you had with your bondmate.”

The light in her eyes dimmed ever so slightly at the mention of her bondmate. Aeian bowed her head and whispered something beneath her breath-- clutching her stomach as though she was on the verge of puking. When she finally did raise her head, a few tears were rolling down her cheeks.

Asura’s shoulder sagged. She had hoped two years would be enough to at least somewhat heal her wound, but it seemed like nothing had changed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“No,” she sniffled, wiping her nose with her wrist. She stuck out her chin. “Layna would have wanted me to help out these students. Besides, I have a few days off next week that I could come visit. It is over the weekend.”

“That sounds perfect, Aei! Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Her voice cracked as she reached for the screen. Judging by the look in her eyes, she was barely holding herself together. “Well, I have to go now, okay?”

“I will see you then. Bye.” Asura quickly disconnected the call, giving her friend some privacy.


End file.
